Sample 05 - IELTS task 02 - Rich nations should provide aids to poor nations or not

Should wealthy nations be required to share their wealth among poorer nations by providing such things as food and education? Or is it the responsibility of the governments of poorer nations to look after their citizens themselves? Use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and with relevant evidence.

SAMPLE ANSWER -

In the modern world, it can be observed that the gap between the high-income groups and the low income groups in on a continuous increase. With each passing day, the rich are getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer. Some people believe that this widening economic inequality can be overcome only when the rich nations provide aids to the poor countries by the means of food, education and health facilities. However, others contradict this opinion. The following essay will discuss both these aspects.

To begin with, the rich countries of the world can help the poorer nations by imparting socio-economic aid to a certain extent. One can debate that, as the citizens of poorer nations are humans too, so they should be helped out of empathy and compassion. For example - some nations in Africa are too poor and constantly suffer from famine, diseases, crime and other issues. Helping them overcome these barriers to development becomes responsibility of the rich nations. This will not only help lift the living standards but will also reduce the economic inequality among the nations. Furthermore, as most of the poor nations suffer from lack of having enough facilities and resources, which can eventually lead to increased crime or even terrorism, providing those aids can avoid such gruesome consequences.

However, one may argue that excessive help to the poor nations may lead to their over dependency on the rich countries. In addition to it, they may lose the enthusiasm and encouragement to build their countries by themselves. On the contrary, rich nations can also take undue advantage of sharing the wealth, to interfere in the governance of poorer nations. Finally, it may seem unfair to the citizens of the nations providing help that the taxes paid by them for the development of their own nation are being used towards the well-being of others.

To summarize, it is impossible to close that gigantic valley between the rich and poor countries without mutual effort from both the parties. It is hoped that we forget those artificial international borders and tackle this problem as a part of humanity to create an egalitarian world where no child is starved and no student is deprived of education. Wealthy nations, at times should provide local governments with aid and guidance to offer their nation with better life standards.

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

IELTS Speaking Cue Card 12 - A stage in your life that you enjoyed the most

Talk about a stage in your life that you enjoyed the most. Please say -

1.   When was it?

2.   Where you were at that time?

3.   Why did you enjoy it so much?   

SAMPLE ANSWER - 

There are many stages in a person's life which he or she enjoys the most. One such stage in my life, which I would like to describe today, is the phase when I pursued my undergraduate studies from the city of Bhopal. This particular stage of my life occurred nearly four years back when I enrolled into one of the finest engineering colleges in Bhopal - Oriental Institute of Science and Technology.

As the town I belong to does not have any good and recognized engineering institutes, I decided to travel all the way to Bhopal , which is also the capital city of Madhya Pradesh and is also known as the education hub for central India in order to pursue my higher education.

I really enjoyed this phase of my life due to several reasons. Firstly, as I traveled to a completely new city, it gave me a sense of both, freedom and responsibility at the same time. In addition to it, I made many new friends and interacted with different people, which helped me in enhancing my overall personality. Furthermore, as Bhopal is a city that is rich in its natural beauty and also boasts of its cultural and archaeological heritage, I enjoyed traveling in and around the city during the weekends.

Although what made my stay all the more enjoyable is the fact that I would often go out with my friends on long drives or weekend tours to places like Bheembethka, Sanchi, Raisen or Bhojpur among others. All these beautiful memories I earned during my time in this city made my stay worth living.

Thus in the end I would like to say that these four years of my college life were probably the best and the most memorable years of my life. If ever given a chance in the coming future, I would definitely like to settle down in this peaceful and naturally beautiful city of lakes, and spend the rest of my life here.

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

IELTS Speaking Cue Card 11 - A subject that helped you in your life

Describe a subject that helped you in your life even though you did not like it in your school time. Please say -

1.   What was the subject?

2.   Do you like it now?

3.   How did it helped you?  

SAMPLE ANSWER - 

I had studied many subjects during my entire academic years as a student. There were a few subjects that I really found interesting to study while there were some I did not like during my school days. One such subject which I did not like, but it really helped me a lot is English.

One of the most basic reasons I did not like this subject was because it had a lot of difficult poetic compositions from poets like Shakespeare in its curriculum, which used words, I at times failed to understand in their true context. Moreover, as during those days, our school's faculty for this subject was not experienced enough as a teacher, it added on to my dislike for learning this language.

I really like this subject now as it has helped me in numerous ways over the years. To begin with, as English today has become one of the most spoken languages globally, knowing it enables me to connect with people from different parts of the world and know about their cultures and lifestyles by interacting with them in an efficient manner. Furthermore, as I am currently a student and wish to pursue my higher education from abroad, having an understanding of English allowed me to understand and practice the different modules of the IELTS examination in an effective way. To add on to it, learning this subject has also helped me academically over the years, as the entire school or college curriculum these days is drafted in English language.

Thus, I firmly believe that English is one of those subjects, which one should mandatorily study during the early years of their academic life. The main reason being knowing about its technicalities and the use of grammar will allow an individual to communicate effectively, both personally and professionally in their lives.

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

IELTS Speaking Cue Card 10 - A special thing you would like to buy in future

Talk about a special thing you would like to buy in future. Please say -

1.   What is it?

2.   Why do you need it? and

3.   What is so special about it?  

SAMPLE ANSWER - 

One special thing that I would like to buy in future is a Smartphone. It will not be any other ordinary mobile available in the market but a Samsung galaxy S6. The foremost reason I need to buy this Smartphone is that it comes loaded with a lot of unique features that are very attractive. Moreover, as my sister's old phone has now turned outdated due to rigorous use, I feel the need to buy it in the months in order to present it to her.

There are a lot of characteristics and features that make this phone quiet special. To begin with, it comes with a high resolution, 15 megapixel camera which allows users to take photographs of some of the most important and beautiful moments if their lives. In addition to it, as it is equipped with a 16 GB data card, I believe that it will be a lot useful for my sister as it will enable her to store important files and data on the go. Furthermore, its sleek and slim design will make it highly comfortable for her to carry it easily anywhere. Moreover, as it is one of the most trusted and leading brand in the mobile phone market, I have complete trust in its performance and efficiency.

However, one thing that makes it really special for me to buy it is the fact that my sister always wanted to have a phone that is both stylish and useful for her at the same time. She always had an eye for this particular model, ever since it launched in India. I would like to buy this phone so that I can present it to her on her birthday, which is due to arrive in a month's time from now. I really wish I save enough money to buy it and acquire this special thing for my sister and make her happy.  

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

IELTS Speaking Cue Card 09 - An item you use in your free time

Describe an item you use in your free time. You should mention - 

1.   What it looks like?

2.   How is it used?

3.   Where you keep it when you are not using it?

4.   And say how would you improve that item if you could and why?

SAMPLE ANSWER - 

There are a lot of things that I use in my daily life that helps me to make my life a lot easier. One such item about which I would like to talk today is my mobile phone. I use this item often when I am free and have not much important work to do. Over the years, my mobile phone has become my best companion and I use it for various purposes.

The make of my cell phone is Samsung Galaxy S6 and it is white in color. It has a slim design which makes it look stylish and modern. I use my cell phone for a lot of different day-to-day operations. Firstly, I use it to stay connected with my friends, family and relatives through calls and social networking sites like Facebook. Moreover, I also enjoy listening songs, watching movies and play games over the internet through it. Apart from it, as it comes with a 16 GB internal storage system, it allows me to store a number of academic projects and papers and enable me to carry them along with me wherever I go.

At times, when I am not using my cell phone I generally keep it safely on my study desk or in my pocket so that it is not damaged. Even though my mobile phone comes with a lot of different functionalities there are still a few areas where it requires improvement and upgradation. To begin with, as I am an avid traveler I love to take photographs of the places that I travel to. However, as my mobile phone is equipped with a basic camera, I would like to enhance its camera resolution. In addition to it, I would also like to make a few modifications in the design and outer body of the phone, so that it provides its users with a stronger grip to hold, thus eliminating the chances of accidental slips while in use.

I personally believe that having a mobile phone today is both a necessity as well as a luxury. One cannot live its life today, without interacting with people and thus mobile phones help to connect individuals socially.

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

Sample 012 - IELTS task 1 - The number of Japanese tourists traveling abroad & Australia's share of the Japanese tourist market

The charts below show the number of Japanese tourists traveling abroad between 1985 and 1995 and Australia's share of the Japanese tourist market. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

Sample Answer -

The given graphs provide data on the number of people who travelled abroad from Japan between 1985 and 1995 as well as the percentage of those tourists coming to Australia in the given years.

From the first chart, it is observed that the number of Japanese tourists traveling abroad increased constantly over the period. It held an all time low value of nearly 05 million travelers in the year 1985 and rose constantly up to the year 1990 to reach almost 11 million tourists. Although, it then showed a slight decline and stability until the year 1993 and then finally reached an all time high value of over 15 million people in the year 1995.

From the second graph, one can notice that the total percentage of Japanese tourists coming to Australia was on a stable rise from the year 1985 and reached almost 5% in the year 1988. However, it dipped a trifle to 4% and then eventually showed a steady growth to reach a maximum value of over 6% in the year 1993.

Thus to conclude we can see that the number of Japanese tourists increased from 1985 to 1995 and Australia's share for these tourists soared over the given span of time.

 (This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

Sample 011 - IELTS task 1 - The Development of Chorleywood Village

Chorleywood is a village near London whose population has increased steadily since the middle of the 19th century. The map below shows the development of the village.

Sample Answer -

The given map represents the development of Chorleywood village for four different time spans starting from 1868 to the year 1994.

It is clearly observed that the earliest signs of development were evident towards the western end of Chorleywood Park and golf course. This development took place between the years 1868 to 1883 and was near to the main roads. The second phase of development was initiated between 1883 - 1992. One of the key highlights of this period was the construction of Chorleywood railways and station built in the year 1909.

With the establishment of railways in the village, a considerable increase in the developmental activities was observed. From the year 1922 until the year 1970, a drastic growth was seen towards the southern and southwestern end of the village near the newly built Chorleywood railways. The building of motorways on the western side of Chorleywood marked the start of the final expansion phase for the village. A major expanse of out built was successfully created at the cross-sections of motorways and railways as well as motorways and main roads both in the southeastern and northeastern regions of the village.

Thus to conclude it can be said that over the given period the village of Chorleywood underwent major developmental operations. However, a large part of this development was confined around the Chorleywood Park and gold course. Also wherein the first and the second time periods represented smaller growth a majority of expansion activities took place in the third and the fourth phase from the year 1922 till the year 1994.

 (This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

Sample 010 - IELTS task 1 - The cinema viewing figures for films by country, in millions

The table below shows the cinema viewing figures for films by country, in millions. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Sample Answer -

The table represents the data on the number of people who view movies in four different countries namely India, Ireland, New Zealand and Japan for a given period of time.

To begin with, it can be clearly observed from the given table that India had the highest cinema viewing figures for action movies with 08 million people opting to watch this genre. It was followed closely by Ireland, New Zealand and Japan in decreasing order with around 7.6 million, 7.2 million and 7.1 million viewers respectively. Furthermore, India also held the maximum viewership for both romantic and comedy films with 7.5 million and 6.5 million people watching it. While Ireland held an all time low number of people opting to watch romantic movies with 3.8 million; a minimal number of mere 3.9 million people preferred to watch comedy movies in New Zealand. However, New Zealand and Japan had an equal number of audiences for the romance genre with 4.5 million people while the second largest viewership for comedy movies was in Ireland with 5.5 million.

On the other hand, India had the second least number of people watching horror movies with only 2.5 million along with Japan having an all time low value of nearly 2.2 million in the same category. Although, Ireland had the maximum viewership for horror genre with 6.4 million. To add on, it can also be noticed that action movies were the most preferred category with 29.9 million viewers followed by romance [20.3 million] and comedy with 19.9 million viewers. Horror, however was the least opted category among all with only 15.8 million viewers opting to see it.

Thus to conclude, India had the largest cinema viewing figures for films with 24.5 million people while the minimum number of people watching movies are in Japan with 17.8 million. Ireland with 23.3 million viewers followed closely behind India, while New Zealand held the third highest viewership numbers with 20.3 million people.

 (This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

Sample 09 - IELTS task 1 - The average hours of unpaid work per week done by people in different categories

The diagram below shows the average hours of unpaid work per week done by people in different categories. (Unpaid work refers to such activities as childcare in the home, housework and gardening.)

Describe the information presented below, comparing results for men and women in the categories shown. Suggest reasons for what you see.

Sample Answer -

The given chart represents the total number of average unpaid working hours per week for men and women in three different categories namely without children, with 01 to 02 children and more than 03 children.

To begin with, it can be observed that the total number of unpaid work hours was the highest for married women with more than 03 children and equaled nearly 60 hours per week. However, it showed a slight decline for women with 01 to 02 children and added up to almost 50 hours per week. Although, it sank to an all time low value of an average 30 hours per week for women without children.

On the contrary, the number of average unpaid work hours remained almost constant for married men with a gradual decrease along the three categories. The average unpaid working hours were stagnant for married men without children and those with 01 to 02 children with nearly 20 hours per week. Although, it decreased slightly for men with more than 03 children, nearing 18 hours per week of unpaid work, which was an all time low for married men.

To conclude, from the given graph it can be easily noted that while the number of average unpaid work hours increased for married women along the three categories, it was a complete reversal of trend in case of married men. In addition, women in all the three categories had a significantly higher number of unpaid work hours as compared to their male counterparts.

 (This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

IELTS speaking cue card 08 - A place you often go on your days off

Describe a place you often go on your days off. You should say -  

1.   Where it is?

2.   Who you go with?

3.   Why you go there?

4.   And say how it compares to other places where you could spend your free time?

SAMPLE ANSWER - 

As I love to travel a lot, I visit many places whenever I get some time off from my busy schedule. Moreover, as Bhopal is a beautiful city with many tourist spots one can enjoy at, there are always plenty of options available to the people in deciding where they wish to spend their time.

The place I would like to describe today and where I often go during my days off is the DB City Mall, which is located at MP Nagar, Bhopal. It is one of the largest malls in India and is among the major entertainment and recreational hub for the people of this beautiful city. In addition to it, as it is located centrally within the city, it is visited by a large number of people, both during the weekdays as well as weekends.

As I am presently a student, I usually get time off during the weekends and it is during that time I visit this place either with my friends or with my family. As already mentioned above, it is one of the biggest malls in India and has a wide variety of activities one can choose to do from. The availability of such diverse options is one of the foremost reasons I love to visit this place. DB Mall has something for people of all age groups. For instance - one can enjoy shopping through the various brand outlets that form a part of the mall. Or if someone wishes to enjoy completely, the well built gaming zone and arcade along with the bowling alley can be their perfect preference. Furthermore, food lovers can enjoy a variety of cuisines from across the country at the food court, which is built on the fourth floor of the mall. Finally, a six screen multiplex built at the top floor along with a rooftop cafeteria and restaurant is like a "cherry on the cake" for people visiting this place.

As compared to other places where I could spend my free time, I believe DB City Mall is a point which is equipped not only with the latest trends in the fashion, technology and entertainment industry but also offers comfort, luxury and value for money at the same time. As compared to stereotypical archaeological or other places of historical importance, that a person likes to spend time at, this place can be truly termed as an "Entertainment Paradise" for the people of the city of Bhopal as well as those who visit it from other parts of the country. I would like to keep visiting this place in the coming future as well and would recommend every individual touring Bhopal to travel here at least once in their life to experience enjoyment mixed with luxury in a completely unique and refreshing manner.

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

IELTS speaking cue card 07 - Talk about a sport you did as a child

Talk about a sport you did when you were a child. You should say -

1.   How often you did it?

2.   Where you did it?

3.   If you were good at it?

4.   And say if you would like to do that sport again or not?

SAMPLE ANSWER - 

India is a country, which is known for its love for the game of cricket. It has given this world some of the finest players of this sport such as Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid and Kapil Dev among others. I have been playing cricket since I was a child and today I would like to discuss about this sport itself.

I was introduced to the game of cricket by my father who himself was a keen enthusiast of this game. I remember playing this sport as early as when I was nearly 05 years of age. I usually used to play this game almost every day after my school along with my friends at the local city club. I even made a few new friends, playing at that venue.

As a child, I was really fascinated by this sport and always dreamt of becoming a cricketer myself. During those days, I really enjoyed playing this game a lot and I was one of the most popular player in the locality. Moreover, having a game with your close friends is always a fun thing to do.

If I had to rate myself in this particular sport, I would not term myself as extremely talented but yes, definitely I possessed a decent set of skills in the game of cricket. Cricket as a sport requires a lot of stamina, agility and high levels of physical fitness in order to succeed professionally. Furthermore, playing this sport not only relaxes and refreshes an individual, but also enhances his or her physical endurance and mental ability. In addition to it, the sport also teaches a lot of essential values like leadership, team-work and quick decision making.

It is for these above-mentioned reasons, I would surely like to do this sport again sometime in the coming future. However, as now I am a student, and I have other academic obligations to fulfill, I feel that I will not be able to pursue this sport as regularly as I used to do when I was a child. Although, during the weekends when I am generally free, I can plan a visit to the city stadium along with my friends to play this sport.  

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

Sample 04 - IELTS task 02 - Changes in life versus no changes

Some people enjoy change. They look forward to new experiences. Others like their lives to stay the same and they do not change their usual habits. Compare these two approaches to life. Which approach do you prefer and why?

SAMPLE ANSWER -

The only thing permanent in this world is change. With constant advancements in the field of science, technology and research, an individual has to regularly upgrade itself in order to grow both professionally and personally. While there are a few who enjoy change and try to gain new experiences, others prefer not to change and live their life in the same manner. The following essay will compare both these approaches.

To begin with, people who avoid implementing changes in their lives are the ones who seek stability and prefer to pursue their usual habits and routine. They at times are either too afraid to take risks or are not adaptable to new or unforeseen conditions and thus decide not to undergo changes. In addition, they might not see any direct benefits of change and hence take a vote against it.

On the contrary, people who decide to change wish to break life's monotony and learn by obtaining new experiences and confronting new occurrences. Moreover, at a certain point in life changes become a necessity to avoid stagnation. For instance, an individual working at a senior managerial position in a multinational company, can always try to venture into entrepreneurship after gaining years of significant work experience. Furthermore, people must change in order to fit in with today's society, which is changing, and developing each day, people need to change and adapt themselves with new technology so that they do not lag behind.

Thus to conclude, I firmly believe that changes transforms one's life in a positive manner as they make us stronger, more persistent and self-confident. Also, people who succeed in life like changes because it is impossible to be the best at some field without perfecting the present knowledge and gaining new experiences.

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

IELTS Speaking Cue Card 06 - Talk about something you can do on a computer that you think is enjoyable

Talk about something you can do on a computer that you think is enjoyable. You should mention -

1.   What equipment or software you need to that?

2.   What you need to do to do it?

3.   What kind of people it is popular with?

4.   And say if you would like to spend more time doing it or not and why?

TIP -

The key to answer cue card questions in your IELTS examination is to begin with a suitable introduction which briefly gives an overview of the topic you will be speaking on and to end the question's answer with a proper conclusion.

A well set introduction and conclusion not only defines the flow of your task, and provides it with the much needed connectivity but also helps you to cover up nearly 30 seconds to 40 seconds of your speaking time in an effective manner.

Hence, always remember - NEVER forget an Introduction and Conclusion in your Speaking Cue Card Answer.

SAMPLE ANSWER - 

Ever since their development, computers have interfered in every aspect of a human's life. Be it work, home, studies or recreation, computers these days have become an indispensible part of our living. There are many things, which a person can do on a computer, but one thing which I really believe is quiet enjoyable to do is to play games on it.

Playing games on computers is one activity that is quiet popular among youngsters in the present day. They engage themselves in playing games both offline or even at times online with the help of an internet connection. As playing games on a computer requires the use of minimal software and hardware configuration, it has become highly recognized among the people of young age. To play a game, one might only require a computer, a game setup CD, a joystick for movement control and an internet connection through a modem. In addition to it, one at times might also require a graphic card, a sound card and memory space for playing high-definition games.

In order to play a game one has to successfully install the game setup on their computer's hard-disk drive, configure the necessary hardware devices and once done, run the executable file to enjoy. As already mentioned before, this kind of activity is quiet popular with teenagers and other school and college going students. The reason being they can involve in multi-player gaming with the help of internet and interact with people who enjoy doing the same activity from across the world. Moreover, gaming provides an instant adrenalin rush to the mind, which again attracts youngsters who are more inclined towards adventure and thrill as a means to entertain themselves. Now-a-days many gaming competitions are also being organized in order to encourage the young crowd to take up this activity.

Although, as excess of anything is bad for a person, I personally would not like to invest more time doing this, as I am presently a student and preparing for my further studies abroad. Playing games only serves as a leisure time activity for me, where I can relax myself of the hectic schedule and stress. However, I believe that if I indulge in doing it for a longer duration, I might lose my focus from my set goals on the academic front.

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

IELTS Speaking Cue Card 05 - Talk about a book that you have read in the last year

Talk about a book that you have read in the last year. You should say- 

1.   Why you decided to read that book?

2.   How long it took you to finish it?

3.   What genre of book it was?

4.   And say if you would like to read something from the same author or not and why?

SAMPLE ANSWER - 

As it is said that books are a man's best friend, I believe that reading a book not only helps a person to enhance their knowledge and learn from the experiences of other people but it also allows individuals to learn about different cultures, traditions and lifestyles. I have been reading books ever since I was a child and have read many books of various authors from across the world.

My favorite author however is Paulo Coehlo, and the book which I would like to talk about today is The Alchemist written by him.

I decided to read this book, as it is considered to be an international best seller with more than a million copies of it sold worldwide, not only in English but also in various other languages. In addition, my decision to read the book was also inspired from lot of good reviews I heard about the book, from my friends, which eventually motivated me to read this novel. The book's genre is fiction and it is based on the life of a shepherd boy who travels far away from his hometown searching for the true treasure - the meaning of life.

In the pursuit of his, he interacts with people from different cultures and regions and learns from their experiences. Towards the end of his journey, he meets the alchemist who helps and enables him to achieve what he sought for.

Firstly, the book is worth a read as it gives a very important learning that the search for true happiness in life starts from one's own heart. Furthermore, as the language of the book is quiet simple, it is easy to understand and interpret the meaning. As I am presently a student and I have other academic obligations to fulfill as well, it took me nearly a week's time to read the book completely. In future if I get an opportunity to read more books, I would definitely like to read more from the same author. One of the most important reasons for it is that Paulo Coehlo imparts some of the most fundamental teachings of life in the most simplest yet effective manner. In addition, as he is also an international bestseller and have written more than 10 books, each of which have been widely appreciated by the reading community, I would love to read more of his literary works.

In the end, I would like to recommend everyone who loves to read, to once read the Alchemist as it has many learnings that can be implemented successfully by people in their day-to-day lifestyles.   

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)